# EU decision to lift sanctions on Russian billionaires Fridman and Usmanov draws backlash

https://mins.news/en/item/70808

- Meduza, 2026-09-23 14:42 UTC
- Politics
- Original: https://meduza.io/en/feature/2026/09/23/a-triumph-of-money-filth-and-hypocrisy-eu-decision-to-lift-sanctions-on-russian-billionaires-fridman-and-usmanov-draws-backlash

> The EU agreed to extend its Russia-related sanctions list for three years but removed billionaires Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov. Exiled Russian opposition figures, Ukrainian officials, and some European politicians condemned the decision, portraying it as politically driven and shaped by money and deal-making rather than clear judicial criteria.

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